Portugal’s technical standards framework on shared online poker liquidity (Regulamento n.º 115/2018) was published in the country’s Official Journal on Friday, February 16, local media reported. The publication of said framework means that there are no more regulatory hurdles before Portugal’s participation in the shared liquidity project.

The country was one of four, with France, Spain, and Italy being the other three, to sign the shared liquidity agreement in Rome in the summer of 2017. Generally speaking, the project is hoped to give a much-needed boost to online poker in Europe’s segregated markets.

France and Spain were the first two participating countries to roll out shared online poker tables. And PokerStars was the first and is currently the only online poker operator to offer Franco-Spanish tables via its PokerStars Europe network. The online poker brand launched the network in mid-January and it can be said that is participation in the shared liquidity project was off to a good start.

According to data from PokerScout, PokerStars Europe is currently the world’s third largest network in terms of cash game activity. It is also among the largest in terms of overall traffic. At the time of writing, there are a total of 17,930 players online on the poker network. Of those, 2,177 are playing cash games. The 24-hour cash game peak stood at 5,220 online cash game players.

Aside from PokerStars, other online poker operators have too expressed interest in participating in the shared liquidity scheme, with Winamax, partypoker, and 888 being among those. Winamax recently received the go-ahead to join the project from France’s online gambling regulator, ARJEL. However, the operator needs licenses from the other participating countries in order to be able to do that, as it is currently licensed in France only.

What the Publication of Regulamento n.º 115/2018 Means for Portugal’s Online Poker

The publication of the shared liquidity technical standard in Portugal’s Official Journal means that PokerStars could and probably would open its PokerStars Europe network to Portuguese players anytime now.

The inclusion of the country will boost the operator’s new network significantly in terms of liquidity, as there has been quite some activity on PokerStars’ .pt website since its launch in late 2016. According to PokerScout, there are more than 39,500 players online on PokerStars.pt at the time of writing, or more than twice as much as the current traffic of PokerStars Europe.

The publication of the technical standards framework could also encourage SRIJ, Portugal’s gambling regulator, to finally expand the country’s online poker market. At present, PokerStars is the only licensed operator to operate in Portugal. As mentioned above, the poker room received its license from SRIJ in 2016 and went live with a .pt website in December of that year. No poker licenses have been issued since then and industry experts have pointed out that SRIJ might be waiting for the start of the shared liquidity project before opening the local poker market to more operators.

State governments are struggling to find fresh sources of revenue to breathe life into their cash-strapped budgets. One of the main reasons many lawmakers support the legalization of casino gambling is the belief that such a move would be the panacea for the economy. But the gambling industry is a multi-faceted business that includes not […]

Half of all likely Democratic primary voters in Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District, which also includes the capital Boston, believe that the construction of the $2.4-billion Wynn Boston Harbor should continue now as Steve Wynn is no longer at the helm of Wynn Resorts, a poll by local radio station WBUR shows.

The casino mogul resigned as Chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas company earlier this month in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Wynn Resorts was licensed to build and operate one of Massachusetts’ first commercial casino resorts, after voters had approved legalization of casino gambling in a statewide referendum. The Las Vegas casino company was selected as the preferred developer for a resort in the Greater Boston area.

Wynn Resorts is currently building a $2.4-billion complex along the Mystic River in Everett, a city located not far from Boston. The property is set to feature different accommodation, food and beverage, retail, and entertainment options as well as a casino with both slot machines and table games. Wynn Boston Harbor was slated to be completed and launched in the spring of 2019, but following the allegations against Mr. Wynn, its fate is currently quite uncertain.

A poll conducted by local polling group MassINC and commissioned by radio station WBUR showed that 50% of all Democratic voters from the state’s 7th Congressional District agree that the construction of the resort, which has been touted as major future tax revenue contributor and employer, should go forward now as the casino magnate is no longer involved in Wynn Resorts’ operations.

Another portion of the state’s Democratic voters (23%) believes that the project should continue but only if another developer takes over. Approximately 20% of the interviewed individuals call for the project to be nixed altogether. The remaining 7% have refused to express their opinion or have responded they have no opinion on the matter.

The poll further shows that 64% of all interviewed individuals believe the resort should be renamed; 21% say the Wynn name should be kept.

Ongoing Investigation

Shortly after the publication of a Wall Street Journal article detailing sexual allegations from former and current Wynn Resorts employees against Mr. Wynn, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission announced that it would investigate the reports and the appropriateness of Wynn Resorts’ participation in the state’s nascent casino industry.

The state’s gaming regulator later confirmed that the probe would continue “aggressively” even after Mr. Wynn’s resignation. Gaming officials pointed out that the Wynn Board’s previous knowledge of the allegations and whether it had had any such knowledge would be among the most important points they would take into account during the investigation.

It also became known that depending on the Gaming Commission’s findings, Wynn Resort could even have its casino license in Massachusetts revoked. There are also ongoing investigations in Nevada and Macau, where the gambling operator manages several hotel and casino properties.

Ohio-based player Greg Kolo became the latest winner of the ongoing WSOP Circuit Seminole Casino Coconut Creek stop. The player entered a $365 Pot-Limit Omaha Re-Buy event on Wednesday to eventually win a gold ring and $13,806 for his efforts late last night.

The winner said that he hopped into the tournament to win some points for the Player of the Year leaderboard. Then he ended up with the title and the gold piece of WSOP Circuit jewelery.

Kolo bested a tough field of 39 entries. However, most of the participants took advantage of the $100-worth re-buy option. As many as 191 re-buys were recorded and that heated action at the host casino even more. A prize pool of $30,800 was generated eventually and was split among the top four finishers.

Kolo entered the unofficial final table third in chips with approximately 38 big blinds. Joseph Irgon was the chip leader at that point with 46 big blinds left. It was eventually fellow former ring winner Matt Stout whom Kolo faced heads-up.

Heads-Up and Other Highlights

Under original plans, play for the day was scheduled to be stopped on Level 18 of the event. The two heads-up finalists reached that point in action but opted for an additional level, hoping to determine the winner during it. And that additional level lasted only several minutes before Kolo finished off his final opponent.

On what turned out to be the final hand of the evening and the tournament, chips went in post-flop. Stoud had two pair and a straight draw against his opponent’s pair and a flush draw. Kolo completed his flush to eventually scoop the title at around 3 am in the morning. Stout collected $9,240 for his runner-up finish in the Pot-Limit Omaha event.

Kolo won his first WSOP Circuit gold ring. However, he has one more piece of WSOP jewelery, a gold bracelet from the WSOP in Las Vegas. He captured it during the 2014 edition of the series for winning a $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em tournament. He also received $169,225 for his performance. To date, the player has collected nearly $380,000 from both WSOP and WSOP Circuit winnings.

After his victory last night, Kolo told WSOP Circuit staff that he actually entered the event chasing Player of the Year points. The season-long leaderboard grants seats into the season-ending Global Casino Championship to the 50 players who accumulate the most points throughout the season, and Kolo is looking to lock a seat and try his luck in the major event, which is set to take place this summer. The Pot-Limit Omaha the player entered and eventually won gave him the chance to rack up some points and increase his chance to accomplish his goal.

Earlier this season, Kolo finished runner-up in another Pot-Limit Omaha event, a $580 one. The player mused last night that he could have won the tournament, which took place at Horseshoe Hammond, if he had not lost a big hand for a lot of chips.

New Wave of Responsible Gambling Proposals in Japan Limits Casino Visits to 10 Per Month

Japanese lawmakers tabled on Thursday a proposal that aims to limit the number of casino visits allowed to ten per month, local news outlet Japan Times reports. The measure is intended to curb gambling addiction issues that could arise from the planned opening of casinos across the nation.

The plan was presented to the ruling Liberal Party and its coalition partner Komeito earlier today. It is understood that it has already drawn opposition from a number of lawmakers as they perceive it too strict of a limitation.

Under the proposal, Japanese nationals and foreigners residing in Japan would be allowed three casino visits within seven consecutive days and ten casino visits within 28 consecutive days. Their visits to the country’s casinos would be tracked via Japan’s My Number system.

Introduced in 2015, the system issues a 12-digit ID number to Japanese citizens and foreign residents of the country that is used for various purposes, including social security, taxation, and disaster response.

It is understood that lawmakers from the ruling parties have expressed doubts over the use of the ID cards as an effective means to track people’s visits to casinos as just 10% of Japan’s population have had these issued so far.

What’s Next for Japan’s Casino Legalization Process?

The Japanese Diet approved a bill that legalized casino gambling in late 2016. Under that legislative piece, casino venues could only be built in Japan as part of larger integrated (MICE) resorts. Lawmakers now have to approve a separate bill that would set the rules under which the gambling facilities would be operated and where these would be built.

It is believed that the second piece of casino gambling legislation could be introduced by March. It was previously hoped that the bill could be crafted, introduced, and voted by the end of 2017, but political turmoil in the country delayed the process.

The second bill would also include responsible gambling measures that would be focused on limiting the negative impact of the future casinos on a nation that has already been engulfed in concerns regarding growing problem gambling rates.

A recent study by the Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center at the National Hospital Organization found that 3.2 million Japanese have suffered from milder or heavier forms of problem gambling behavior.

Under previously tabled responsible gambling proposals, the area casinos would occupy should not exceed 15,000 square meters and should account for no more than 3% of the total area of the integrated resorts they would be part of. An admission fee for Japanese citizens and foreign residents is also planned to be added to the list of measures included in the second casino bill.

The legislative piece would also determine the number of casinos that would be allowed to be built in the country as well as their preferred locations. The gambling venues together with the rest of the facilities at the integrated resorts would aim to boost Japan’s tourism product just as the nation has begun to regain its economic mojo.

Texas Lawmaker Rolls Out New Bill after Court’s Ruling against Electronic Bingo Hall

Only a week after a federal judge made a ruling against the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, imposing a ban on the latter to offer its gambling operations, a bill that would allow the tribe to keep its electronic bingo hall in operation was rolled out by US Rep. Brian Babin. The proposed piece of legislation […]

Over the last several years, daily fantasy sports (DFS) gambling industry has experienced quite a bit of growth. New York-based FanDuel and the Boston-based DraftKings, the two giants offering daily fantasy sports contests, have been the driving force behind the industry’s prosperity. But the regulation of pay-to-play daily fantasy sports contests appeared to be a […]

The state of Connecticut could soon be eyeing the addition of online gambling to its existing industry. Recently, the hotel and casino complex Foxwoods Resort Casino, which is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe revealed that it has entered into a partnership agreement with the online games and systems PariPlay. According to experts, […]

Loni Harwood, a poker pro with solid presence on the live poker scene, won her fourth WSOP Circuit gold ring last night. Surrounded by her boyfriend, poker pro Phil Hui, and her brother and sister-in-law, Harwood topped a $365 No-Limit Hold’em at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek in Florida to win the gold piece and a $10,801 payout.

The event attracted a field of 120 entries who generated a prize pool of $36,000. The top 12 finishers received a share of the money.

The tournament was played over two days. The first one concluded with nine finalists left to play the final table on the next day. Harwood entered the final table seventh in chips. However, the player said that she spotted signs of her victory all over, which kept her lifted until the very end.

The player told WSOP staff in her post-victory interview that seven was her lucky number, although she was not that superstitious. To provide examples of that we should say that the player was designated seat number seven at the final table of the tournament and started that final stage of play with a stack of 77,000 chips.

She went on to say that she won her first WSOP gold bracelet on July 7, the date on which both her brother and her sister-in-law were born. Here it is important to note that aside from four WSOP Circuit gold rings, Harwood also has two gold bracelets from the WSOP.

Harwood’s Final Table Run

As mentioned above, Harwood started that closing stage of the event at the bottom end of the chip counts chart. However, it seems that her thinning stack did not discourage her at all. The player navigated her way through the final table to eventually make it to heads-up.

She faced Stephen Hawley in a final battle for the title. Two-handed match began with Hawley as the chip leader. Action did not last long, though. Harwood managed to erase the gap quite quickly and to eventually take hold of all chips in play and the title. Hawley collected $6,675 as the event’s runner-up finisher.

The other half of the Harwood-Hui poker duo was also present at the host casino but only as a spectator. While his girlfriend kept herself calm and quiet at the table, Hui was pacing nervously around. The two players are now tied with four gold rings from the WSOP Circuit each.

Of her journey with her significant other, Harwood said that it has been really great and that they often discuss poker hands and poker stuff as a whole, but also have a life outside the game they share passion for.

Harwood has been quite successful at the Circuit over the past several years. She believes that her experience in much larger events has helped her a lot to excel at the Circuit.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida could present state lawmakers with a draft gambling compact by the end of the week, incoming Senate President Bill Galvano told local media Tuesday after a meeting with Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen and Rep. Jose Oliva.

Sen. Galvano, his colleague from the House, and the casino executive discussed details about a new agreement between the state and the tribe for over an hour on Tuesday. Mr. Allen told media after the meeting that there were details and issues that needed to be solved, but the tribe was ready to work with state legislators toward sorting these out and eventually signing a new gambling compact that would keep much-needed money into Florida’s coffers.

Under a previous compact signed between the Seminoles and the state, the tribe was given exclusivity over the provision of banked card table games, including blackjack, in exchange for regular payments to Florida.

That provision expired in 2015, but the tribe kept the card games at its casinos, arguing that the state had breached its part of the agreement by allowing other, non-tribal, gaming facilities to offer the so-called designated player games. The Seminoles even threatened to stop making payments to the state, unless a new agreement was negotiated.

That resulted in lengthy negotiations and bickering between the involved parties. The matter was even brought to court. A federal judge ruled that the designated player games indeed breached the tribe’s monopoly over banked card games in the state, and the tribe agreed to continue paying a portion of its revenue to Florida. However, tribal officials pointed out that they expected due legislative measures were taken towards the provision of designated player games at non-tribal card rooms.

At present, the tribe is paying a minimum of $250 million per year to the state. That amount was negotiated under the 2010 compact.

Florida legislators and tribal officials are now looking to agree on and sign a new compact before the November ballot that will see state residents cast their votes on a proposed Constitutional amendment that, if approved, would limit significantly the Legislature’s power over making gambling-related legislative decisions.

Following Tuesday’s meeting, Sen. Galvano and Rep. Oliva are optimistic that tribal officials will be able to craft and present a draft agreement by the end of the week.

Stumbling Blocks in the Negotiations

Both the Florida House and Senate presented gambling-focused bills last month. Each chamber of the Legislature will probably look to pass their efforts during the session so that to ensure that certain changes in the state’s gambling landscape will come into effect before the November vote.

However, the two pieces will clash at some point as some of their provisions suggest entirely opposite approaches to gambling in the state. What is more, some of the provisions would certainly be opposed by the tribe as they could come as a breach to a potential compact.

Designated player games could turn into the biggest stumbling block during legislative discussions and negotiations with tribal officials. The House calls for a ban on designated player games at card rooms, which would probably be welcomed by the tribe.

However, the Senate bill would allow for such games to be played across non-tribal facilities but under certain conditions. Commenting on the Senate legislation, Mr. Allen said Tuesday that the piece would be something the tribe and the Legislature would have to work through.

Neither of the two bills contain provisions for the legalization of slot machines at dog and horse race tracks in eight Florida counties that had previously approved the move at county-wide referendums. The proposal appeared in previous gambling bills, but legislators from the two chambers never reached an agreement on it, with the House, traditionally more conservative on gambling expansion matters, opposing it.

The Seminole tribe has also been staunchly opposed to that option. Its Broward and Miami-Dade facilities operate slots at present and it has pointed out that it wants to keep its monopoly over these as part of its previous compact.

This Tuesday is expected to change the gambling field in Macau as one of the long-awaited gambling venue launches took place in the largest gambling hub in the world. MGM Resorts International announced the official launch of MGM Cotai which is the second gambling resort located in Macau which is going to be managed by […]

Online gambling giant bet365 is considering the acquisition of the Australian business of its rival William Hill, local news outlet The Australian reported earlier today.

Reports about bet365’s interest in expanding its operations in Australia even further surface shortly after William Hill announced in mid-January that it would undertake a review of its Australian business. The British bookmaker entered the Australian sports betting market back in 2013 when it acquired local operator Sportingbet together with Isle of Man-based GVC Holdings.

William Hill paid the amount of £485 million for Sportingbet’s Australian and Spanish operations, while GVC assumed control over Sportingbet’s other operations.

William Hill said in its latest trading update from January that it would review its Tom Waterhouse-led Australian business due to growing regulatory pressure on international online betting operators that target local bettors. The major bookmaker said that the upcoming changes to Australia’s sports betting landscape would affect its profitability, hence its decision to reconsider its presence in the local market.

Bet365 is not the first rival gambling operator to have been eying William Hill’s Australian business. According to reports from local news outlets, Ladbrokes Coral and Paddy Power Betfair have also lined up in anticipation for confirmation that their rival would sell its local business.

All of the above-mentioned companies have been operating in Australia with licenses from the lower-tax Northern Territory to turn the country into one of the most competitive and lucrative online sports betting jurisdictions.

As mentioned earlier, the likes of William Hill, bet365, and Ladbrokes have been facing growing pressure from regulators and politicians, which will certainly bring significant changes to Australia’s betting landscape.

Regulatory Hurdles

Concerns and warnings about growing problem gambling rates and international operators exploiting loopholes in Australia’s gambling laws to avoid taxation resulted last summer in the introduction of a nationwide ban on the provision of online casino and poker games.

However, the federal government also announced that it would be cracking down on online sports betting operators, even though their activity was legal in the country. The political backlash prompted a package of sweeping reforms, including a ban on the so-called “free bets” and on credit betting.

In addition, several state governments have been discussing and have approved the introduction of a 15% point-of-consumption tax that would require operators to contribute 15% of the losses generated by customers based in any of the states to their governments.

The new taxation regime has already been introduced in South Australia, and is expected to take effect in Queensland and Western Australia. Victoria and New South Wales have also discussed the possibility to impose the tax on operators targeting their punters, but have not set a rate yet.

The recently completed merger of Australia’s biggest betting companies Tatts and Tabcorp is also expected to affect the country’s gambling landscape, as foreign businesses might be forced to consider consolidation in order to be able to survive the growing regulatory pressure combined with the increasing competition from their newly formed and larger local competitor.

The poker industry has a lot on offer at the moment, as poker action is in full throttle at the King’s Casino located in Rozvadov, Czech Republic. One of the most recent poker tournaments which is still in progress is partypoker MILLIONS Open providing its participants with quite the experience. At the moment there are […]

“Reimagined” Fontainebleau Casino Resort to Open Doors on North Las Vegas Strip in 2020

The long overdue opening of the unfinished Fontainebleau Resort Las Vegas is now scheduled for 2020, the property’s owners announced today.

The Fontainebleau was planned to be a hotel, casino, and convention complex on the Las Vegas Strip’s northern end. Work on what would have been a $2.9-billion resort began in 2007. However, Las Vegas (just as the rest of the United States and of the world) was hit and mired in a recession of dramatic proportions, which forced developers to nix the ambitious project.

First turning into the poster child of the mind-boggling crash and burn of Las Vegas and its casino industry, the unfinished casino resort then found itself at the center of an investment tactic that many despise, while others wish they had the wits about themselves to explore.

In 2010, New York investor Carl Icahn, whom many have referred to as one of the finest vulture capitalists, bought the Fontainebleau out of bankruptcy for the total amount of $150 million to sell it at a huge profit several years later.

Last summer, the unfinished hotel and casino resort was purchased by real estate investment firms Witkoff and New Valley LLC for $600 million. Spotting sings of revitalization in Las Vegas and the potential of the otherwise underdeveloped North Las Vegas Strip, the two companies decided to complete and launch the property.

New Chapter for Fontainebleau

The Fontainebleau is set to be rebranded as The Drew Las Vegas and to open doors for visitors and guests in 2020. Witkoff is partnering with hospitality powerhouse Marriott International to develop a “design-forward building” that will attract tourists and make them keep coming back.

Steve Witkoff, CEO of the New York-based real estate firm, explained earlier today that the Fontainebleau was “so well-conceived” nearly a decade ago that they now have a lot of possibilities to place their imprint on the property from a design point of view.

The Drew Las Vegas will feature 3,900 hotel rooms, 500,000 square feet of meeting and convention facilities, a casino as well as a number of food and beverage, entertainment, and retail facilities. Mr. Witkoff pointed out that they are yet to finish the building’s design, and that, among other things, they plan to “reimagine” the existing 8.5-acre pool deck. The real estate investor further noted that opening a property that is different from anything else on the Strip would be at the heart of their development strategy.

Partnering with Witkoff, Marriott will debut its luxury lifestyle hotel brand EDITION in Las Vegas. It is also important to note that the hospitality giant will manage all three hotels at The Drew.

Marriott International Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Tony Capuano said that his company was particularly attracted to the 500,000-square-foot convention and meeting space at The Drew. According to Mr. Capuano, Las Vegas is a great market for luring “leisure transients and group business”, and with convention facilities and nearly 4,000 hotel rooms The Drew will be well-positioned to compete with some of the Strip’s iconic properties.

Here it is also important to note that the hotel and casino resort is being developed in an area of the Strip that had not seen much construction activity before, but has attracted major investors over the past several years. Resorts World Las Vegas, another long-delayed project, is set to open doors on the Strip’s northern end in 2020. The resort will target Chinese and Chinese-American patrons with its eclectic Asia-inspired design and diverse gaming opportunities for spendy high roller patrons.

The planned opening of the two resorts – The Drew and Resorts World Las Vegas – will bring a total of 7,000 new hotel rooms to a part of the Strip located in immediate proximity to the Las Vegas Convention Center. The convention, meeting, and event facility itself is in the middle of a 1.4-million-square-foot expansion process that is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Mr. Witkoff revealed that a bridge will connect The Drew to the Convention Center. According to the real estate investor, the time for the currently underdeveloped northern portion of the Strip may finally be coming.

South Korea is a region which has a lot to offer to the world and the recent months have been proving this. One of the sectors which has demonstrated quite the surge in the last months of 2017 was gambling and according to the information which was announced the Kangwon Land Inc. has seen a […]

Riveting poker action is back at its usual location and this is namely King’s Casino located in Rozvadov, the Czech Republic which has seen many a winners and poker tournaments before. The latest one is partypoker MILLIONS Germany €25,000 Super High Roller which ranted one big winner with a generous prize and the pride to […]

Keith Tilston Leads US Poker Open Main Event Final Table; Stephen Chidwick Crowned US Poker Open Champion

The inaugural US Poker Open is set to be wrapped today when the final table of the $50,000 Main Event will be played. Presented by Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and Poker Central, the brand-new series built on the success of last fall’s Poker Masters, but also included a little something for players who excel in poker games other than No-Limit Hold’em.

There are five players left to contend for the Main Event title. They will return at the host venue later today to play down to a champion. The event attracted 33 entries, including a few re-entries. Once registration for the tournament closed, organizers announced that a prize pool of $1.65 million was generated and that it would be divided into payouts for the top five finishers. Each of the five finalists is guaranteed a minimum cash of $132,000. The winner will receive $660,000 for being the last standing player.

Final day action will begin with Keith Tilston as the chip leader. This will be the player’s fourth US Poker Open cash, after he made it into the money in two $25,000 buy-ins and a $10,000 buy-in tournament over the past several days. Tilston is holding a massive lead over his remaining opponents in the Main Event.

The player is the only one to have passed the two-million mark. He will enter the final day of action with 2.273 million. Daniel Negreanu accumulated the second largest stack last night. However, with his 1.146 million he is more than a hundred big blinds behind Tilston. Jake Schindler (669,000), Tom Marchese (564,000), and Dan Smith (299,000) are the other three players who will return at Aria’s poker room today to fight for the Main Event title.

Stephen Chidwick Becomes US Poker Open Champion

The British poker pro busted early on Day 2 of the Main Event. However, once registration for the tournament closed and the payouts were announced, it became clear that Chidwick would be crowned the US Poker Open Champion.

The title was designated to the player who won the most from the new poker series. With five final table appearances, including two victories in $25,000 events, Chidwick cemented his top position in the standings. The player collected a total of $1,256,600 from his participation in the US Poker Open and the outcome of the Main Event would not cause any changes at the top of the ranking. Chidwick will receive the US Poker Open Champion trophy as its rightful owner.

The first-ever US Poker Open featured eight high roller tournaments. Those generated a total of $8,339,500 in prize money. As many as 64 payouts were awarded across the events, including the Main Event that will be completed today.

Main Event final table action is set to resume at noon Las Vegas time. The five hopefuls will play down to a winner.

David Peters Beats Stephen Chidwick to Win US Poker Open $25,000 High Roller Event

David Peters, one of brightest stars on the live poker podium, snatched last night his first title from the first-ever edition of the US Poker Open. The player topped a field of 50 entries in the third $25,000 buy-in high roller on the series’ schedule to add $400,000 to his quite impressive eight-figure bankroll.

That was Peters’ third cash from the brand-new series. He previously finished third in the opening $10,000 event for $88,400 and then took 10th place in yet another $10,000 tournament for a prize of $20,100. Combined, his earnings from the series currently total $508,500.

Peters, who is himself a seasoned high roller, played against some of the world’s classiest players. He emerged victorious after an action-packed heads-up against British poker pro Stephen Chidwick who put one more great performance in the penultimate tournament on the US Poker Open schedule.

Chidwick could have won that event, as well, if it was not for Peters’ own strong performance. The popular Brit took down the previous two $25,000 buy-in tournaments in as many days. It is also important to note that he cashed in three more events within the series including last night’s one.

The player scooped a $262,000 payout last night, which brought his overall US Poker Open earnings to $1,256,600 and cemented his leading position in the US Poker Open Championship standings.

The winningest player in the series will be crowned the US Poker Champion and will receive the special trophy. It now seems that Chidwick may be that fortunate player. However, there is one more event to be played within the US Poker Open – the $50,000 Main Event. While Chidwick is well ahead of the player ranking second in the standings (Benjamin Pollak with $554,600), everything could change overnight. The Main Event’s final table is slated to be played on Sunday at the host venue Aria Casino in Las Vegas.

Peters’ Road to Victory in the $25,000 High Roller

Peters had a difficult task, playing against the likes of Chidwick, Daniel Negreanu, and Ben Tollerene at the tournament’s final table. The eventual winner eliminated Keith Tilston, who has also been performing quite well in the series, in fourth place to assume the chip lead.

However, three-handed play proved to be a harsh stage for Peters, as the player lost control over the chips quite quickly. He entered heads-up against Chidwick after the latter had eliminated Sean Winter in third place and had secured commanding advantage.

While it looked as if Chidwick was really close to winning his third US Poker Open title at that point in play, Peters was not ready to give up. The player eventually regained his previous momentum to set one final trap to his British opponent and win the tournament during an all-in confrontation with pocket aces.

The international gambling industry was recently taken by storm after at the end of January the gambling regulator of Macau reported allegations of sexual misconduct by the leading figure of Wynn casino empire Steve Wynn. He was the Chief Executive Officer of the casino giant and throughout his extensive career, he has helped shaping the […]

According to the information released, MGM Resorts has donated thousands of dollars to a number of local politicians and political organizations, including two candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for governor. The casino operator has contributed the amount of $22,000 to former Rep. Stacey Evans and of $14,000 to former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams.

Both Democratic candidates have previously pointed out that they would support the legalization of casinos in the state if new revenue is generated for Georgia’s HOPE scholarship. The program was created in the early 1990s to reward students with financial assistance to complete higher education degrees at both public and private colleges and universities around the state. Since its creation, the program has been funded by the state lottery.

Other donations made by MGM Resorts in 2017 included $1,000 to House Speaker David Ralston and another $1,000 to the state’s Republican Senatorial Committee, $9,000 to the Georgia Democratic Party, and $10,000 to the Georgia House GOP Trust, Politically Georgia reports.

The Las Vegas casino giant has been among the most active advocates for the legalization of casino gambling in Georgia. It had even previously pitched a $1-billion project for the construction of a “destination resort” in the state’s capital Atlanta.

Boyd Gaming, another Las Vegas gaming company, has also been among the donors of a number of influential Georgian politicians, according to the campaign disclosures.

Casino Legalization Effort

The legalization of casino gambling in the state has appeared as a topic in the Georgia General Assembly over the years, but has never gained enough support to move any forward. Early in 2017, Sen. Brandon Beach introduced a bill on the matter, but it did not make it even through its first committee vote.

Senate Bill 79 would have authorized the construction of two “destination resorts” in two different locations in the state. The first such resort would have had to be built in Atlanta and to have cost at least $2 billion. The location for the other property was not specified in the legislative piece, but it would have cost $450 million to construct, if the bill had come into effect as a law.

Sen. Beach said last year that he would continue to lobby for the legalization of casino gambling, despite his bill’s failure. However, it seems that this year’s push may have failed before its actual start, even though gambling advocates in the Legislature have been trying to accumulate support.

It is believed that if lawmakers manage to convince their colleagues that casino venues could generate significant revenue for the state’s HOPE scholarship program, this may increase the effort’s chances to succeed.

The Australian entrepreneur John McGrath finally decided to respond to the rumours related to his expensive gambling habit and particularly to its funding. Today, he issued a statement to the ASX, denying that a $100-million lending facility funding his gambling habit existed. At the end of the previous week, Mr. McGrath who is one of […]

The owner and operator of the biggest casino and hotel complex in Cambodia, NagaCorp, is almost ready to press the start button of its new Russian venture. As revealed by Chairman Timothy Patrick McNally, the company is planning to start operating its new casino in Russia’s far east in 2019. The resort casino project, called […]

A bill legalizing sports betting in Iowa cleared a first legislative hurdle, after it got support from a House Subcommittee on Wednesday. Local news outlet Des Moines Register reported that the legislative piece will next be reviewed by the House Commerce Committee.

Committee members are expected to vote on House Study Bill 592 next week. It is believed that the legislation will gain support from that committee, too.

Iowa lawmakers have pointed out that the current version of the bill would not be its final one and that there will be “open and transparent” discussions over the future of sports betting within the state’s borders.

Similarly to other states, Iowa is looking to craft and pass a sports betting legislation before the Supreme Court of the Unites States announces its decision in relation to New Jersey’s betting case. Last year, the nation’s top court decided to review New Jersey’s lawsuit against a long-standing federal ban on the provision of sports betting services.

The court held its first hearing on the case in early December. Sports betting advocates interpreted somewhat positive comments during the hearing as rays of optimism for the future of this type of gambling activity. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case this summer.

If the federal ban is lifted, this would make it possible for individual states to determine whether they want to legalize sports betting.

Iowa’s Sports Betting Legalization Push

Talking with local media, House Rep. Jake Highfill said that he and his fellow lawmakers will keep on working on the bill to craft regulations that would secure the success of the state’s sports betting market.

While the piece’s contents are yet to be determined and deliberated on, what we know so far is that Iowa’s 18 physical casinos will be allowed to provide sports betting options at both land-based sports books and via the Internet. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission will be tasked with regulating the state’s sports betting sector. Bettors will be allowed to place their wagers on professional and college sports events.

House Rep. Highfill told media that they are also planning to add a mobile betting provision in House Study Bill 592. According to the lawmaker, mobile betting is an important condition for the complete elimination of the black market.

A report by the American Gaming Association found that Americans wager more than $150 billion illegally every year.

Iowa’s sports betting bill drew criticism from the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball even before it cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday. While the two sports leagues have not confirmed the source of their ire, it is believed that their discontent with the bill stemmed from the lack of clarity over whether Iowa’s sports betting industry would contribute a special fee for the protection of integrity of sports.

In a recent hearing before the New York State Senate, where the legalization of sports betting has too been discussed for some time now, NBA officials proposed the addition of a provision that would require local sports books to pay each league an integrity fee which would be account for 1% of the total bets placed on each of the leagues.

West Virginia Submits Two Sports Betting Bills in the Run-up to US Supreme Court Ruling

The state of West Virginia has the potential to see legalized sports betting field in the following months, as it was recently announced that the State House and Senate Judiciary committees have sent proposed bills which aim to make the gambling activity legal at gambling facilities across the state. In case the US Supreme Court […]

Major casino operator Las Vegas Sands has been lobbying for the legalization of gambling in Brazil in a manner similar to other jurisdictions the company has been operating in, including Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore.

Here it is important to note that in Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore gambling facilities are mostly operated as part of larger multi-purpose complexes that also feature convention and exhibition venues as well as different other facilities. And it can be said that it was namely Las Vegas Sands that introduced and popularized the integrated resort model and that it has proved particularly profitable for the company over the years.

Talking to Brazilian media, Andy Abboud, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Las Vegas Sands, said that the country’s lawmakers should explore the gambling regulatory regimes in the above-mentioned jurisdictions and potentially craft a similar legislative framework.

The gambling official further noted that the legalization of a limited number of gambling options could be the best approach for Brazil. Generally speaking, Mr. Abboud recommended the legalization of land-based casino gambling, which would allow for the construction of integrated resorts in the country.

According to the Las Vegas Sands official, Brazil could undertake gambling expansion that would open the market for additional types of services at a later stage.

Here it is important to note that Las Vegas Sands’ CEO and President, Sheldon Adelson, is one of the staunchest opponents of the legalization of online gambling across the United States. It is believed that the casino executive has been among the people behind the Restoration of America’s Wire Act initiative, which generally calls for a nationwide ban on Internet gambling in the US.

Gambling in Brazil

With very few exceptions, gambling is illegal in Brazil under the country’s somewhat obsolete gambling laws. Lawmakers have been discussing certain reforms in the way both land-based and online gambling services are provided. Discussions have included the legalization of land-based casinos, online casino games and sports betting, bingo, and even the lottery-like jogo do bicho game, which has been particularly popular in Brazil for decades now. However, lawmakers have so far failed to adopt any related legislation.

If Brazil decides to regulate its market in a manner that includes different types of gambling services, this would be the exact opposite approach of what Las Vegas Sands is advocating for.

It was last year when reports emerged that the Las Vegas casino giant was interested in building an integrated resort in Brazil, preferably in Rio de Janeiro. Local media also reported that Mr. Adelson had met with Brazilian President Michel Temer and had pitched an $8-billion development project to the South American country’s top official.

In its recent conversation with local media, Mr. Abboud did not confirm Rio de Janeiro as his company’s preferred location, but pointed out that they would seek to build a casino resort in a bigger city with considerable flow of international tourists.

New York State to See Billions in Sports Betting Revenue Following US Supreme Court Ruling

The chances that the region of Albany, New York could soon welcome legal sports betting within its borders are getting higher by the day. According to a recent statement, New York State Association of Counties is prompting officials to make a move towards sports wager, as this could benefit the local economy and provide a […]

Stephen Chidwick, a British poker player well known for his accomplishments on the poker scene, took down a second US Poker Open high roller event in just two days to scoop another six-figure payout and cement his top position in the US Poker Champion leaderboard.

The inaugural US Poker Open high roller series is currently taking place at Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The poker festival has drawn prominent poker pros from all over the world, and it can be said that Chidwick has shown top shape and performance among his fellow contenders since the beginning of the series last week.

Last night, the player bested the field of the $25,000 Mixed Game Championship, a tournament that required excellence not just in No-Limit Hold’em poker, but also in seven other games. Aside from Chidwick, the event attracted some of poker’s most seasoned high rollers, including Isaac Haxton and Phil Hellmuth.

Hellmuth, in fact, made his debut in the series with his participation in the Mixed Games event. However, this particular title was not his to win. The player was eliminated in sixth place for $67,500.

Final Table Recap

The event’s official final table was played on Tuesday at the host casino. Haxton was the chip leader at the start of the final table. Holding 2.317 million, the player had massive advantage over his remaining opponents. Stephen Chidwick was third in chips at the time with a total of 1.08 million.

Action developed quite quickly at first, and it was not long before there were only three players left at the table, with those three being namely Haxton and Chidwick, accompanied by Chris Vitch. The greater amount of all hands played at the final table were dealt during three-handed play. The three players played several rounds of all eight games before one of them busted.

While many believed that Haxton would win the title, due to his initial momentum at the final table, the player was actually the unfortunate one to leave in third place. His share of the prize pool totaled $167,750.

Heads-up began with Chidwick holding the majority of chips in play. The player only extended his lead throughout two-handed action. A Pot-Limit Omaha hand rocketed the player further ahead, while weakening Vitch. Shortly after, a 2-7 Triple Draw hand forced Vitch all-in. The player was eliminated in second place for $247,500 from the tournament.

As mentioned above, Chidwick’s payout totaled 382,500. Combined with his previous cashes from the US Poker Open, the player now has $810,900 and stands firmly on top of the US Poker Champion standings. The player who wins the most from the inaugural edition of the high roller series will be crowned the US Poker Champion and will receive a special trophy to remember their performance and triumph. Chris Vitch and Keith Tilston are currently occupying second and third position in the temporary rankings, with a slim $5,500 gap between them.

Bridgeport legislators have proposed a new piece of legislation that would dismiss the license for a casino venue in East Windsor and start a competitive bidding process for the first casino to be located off tribal lands on the territory of the state. Back in 2017, state lawmakers gave the nod to the Mohegan and […]

A new wave of gambling regulatory changes may roll out in Kenya, as a local lawmaker announced plans to introduce a bill for the regulation of coin-operated slot machines, news outlet Nairobi News reports.

Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot told local media earlier this week that his legislation would aim to regulate the gambling devices that are mostly operated in rural areas across the country. The nation’s gambling regulations currently do not contain any specific rules regarding slot machines, and these are often featured at different facilities without owners holding any licenses for them.

Mr. Cheruiyot’s bill will be introduced shortly after certain changes in the way sports betting operators were regulated took effect as part of Kenya’s Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act.

The Kenyan Senator told media that new slot machine regulations are needed as the devices are often targeting women and children in the country’s deprived areas, and that people often find themselves spending too much on them. Proper rules could curb these issues, the lawmaker believes.

News emerged late last month that the Kenyan police together with officials from the country’s gambling regulator, the Betting Control and Licensing Board, raided slot machine facilities across the nation and confiscated equipment as part of a crackdown on unlicensed gambling premises.

A Kenyan national was even arrested for playing on slot machines. However, it later on became known that charges against them would be withdrawn as soon as a High Court order was verified.

Changes in Kenya’s Sports Betting Landscape

Mobile sports betting has increased tremendously in Kenya over the past several years, particularly among young male representatives of the African country’s population. The growth of the mobile sports betting sector was greatly attributed to the rising interest in English Premier League matches in recent years.

To curb the popularization of the activity among Kenyans, the government introduced last year certain changes to the country’s existing gambling regulations, with those being aimed at operators providing betting services. The amendments were approved by lawmakers and were given a final nod by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta last summer. The reforms took effect at the beginning of 2018.

One of the most important changes rolled out included a considerable rise in the tax licensed operators were to pay to the country. Under the new rules, gambling companies were required to contribute 35% of their annual revenue to Kenya’s coffers.

The new rate was deemed too high by operators and was heavily opposed by those. SportPesa, an online sports betting operator hailing from Kenya, threatened to end its sponsorship of local sports clubs, if the tax hike was adopted. The company also contested the issue in court, but Kenya’s High Court sided with lawmakers late last year.

To express its opposition to the newly implemented tax, Kenya’s national lottery Pambazuka halted its operations in the country early in 2018.

Stephen Chidwick, Britain’s second most profitable player of all-time, boosted his live poker bankroll last night by winning the $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em or Event #3 on the schedule of the ongoing US Poker Open.

The player bested some of poker’s high roller heavyweights to collect $374,000 for his performance. Here it is important to note that Chidwick entered the $25,000 buy-in tournament fresh from a fifth-place finish in the US Poker Open $10,500 No-Limit Hold’em. The player scooped $54,400 from that event.

Combined the Englishman collected a total of $428,400 from the two tournaments, which placed him at the top of the US Poker Open champion’s standings. The player who wins the most money from their participation in the brand new series will become the US Poker Champion and will be awarded the specially crafted champion’s trophy.

The US Poker Open is a high roller festival presented by Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and Poker Central. The event follows and aims to leverage the success of the Poker Masters series, which launched last September yet again as a result from a partnership between Aria and Poker Central.

Final Day Action Recap

The $25,000 tournament was played on Saturday and then on Monday. Players had a day off on Sunday due to the Super Bowl. The event attracted 44 entries for a $1.1 million prize pool. The money was split into seven payouts.

Players played down to the official six-handed final table on Saturday. Then the six survivors returned to Aria’s poker room on Monday to determine the winner. Keith Tilston and Daniel Negreanu led the final six into the second day of action. The two players were the only two to have passed the one-million chip mark by the end of Day 1.

Coming into the second day of play with considerable advantage, it can be said that both Tilston and Negreanu maintained their momentum all the way down to three-handed play.

Chidwick had a more difficult task for Day 2 as he had to improve his rather short stack, while maneuvering around some very seasoned opponents. Not that he lacks experience himself with his live tournament winnings of over $10 million and multiple major poker titles.

It was Jake Schindler, another prominent high roller player, who dominated action during the first half of the day. However, Chidwick picked off his bluff at a later stage to win a massive pot and assume the chip lead. That hand created quite some trouble for Schindler and the player was eliminated in fourth place just a couple of hands later.

At that point, Chidwick, holding the chip lead, Negreanu, and Tilston were the only three players left in contention. Negreanu failed to move any forward during three-handed play and was eventually eliminated in third place.

Tilston busted his fellow player to collect his chips and take the chip lead into the final two-handed match between him and Chidwick. The Englishman did not waste time and began putting pressure on his opponent from the very beginning of heads-up action. The player gradually evened the chip stacks and then took hold of the chip lead to eventually win the tournament.

Tilston’s share from the prize pool totaled $242,000. Following the end of Event #3, there were certain changes in the US Poker Open standings. While Chidwick climbed to the top, Tilston’s second-place cash from the $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em was more then enough to rocket him in second position in the leaderboard.

Keith Tilston and Daniel Negreanu Lead Final Six in US Poker Open Event #3

The third event on the US Poker Open schedule is slated to be completed today when the official six-handed final table will be played at the poker room of Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The tournament is a $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em and it will see some of the world’s top high rollers cross swords in an epic poker battle.

The event had drawn a total of 44 entries by the time registration had closed. And its first day was completed with six finalists who will resume action at the host venue to determine the winner. The final player standing will receive a first-place prize of $374,000, the largest portion of the $1.1-million prize pool.

Keith Tilston will return at the poker tables of Aria Casino today as the finalist holding the largest chip stack. The player bagged and tagged 1.734 million at the end of Day 1 of the third US Poker Open tournament.

Tilston has live tournament winnings of nearly $1.2 million. Most recently, the player took down the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic $25,000 High Roller at Bellagio for his largest live cash of $424,000. Aside from that, Tilston has also cashed in twenty more live tournaments over the course of his poker career. Now the player has the chance to try his skills and luck against some of poker’s heavyweights.

Trailing not far behind Tilston is Daniel Negreanu, the world’s most profitable player and winner of a number of major poker titles. The Canadian poker star finished Day 1 of the $25,000 tournament second in chips with a total of 1.7 million. Tilston and Negreanu were actually the only two players to bag seven-figure stacks.

The Other Survivors

Jake Schindler, another regular high roller participant, accumulated the third largest stack, bagging 999,000 after Day 1. The other three players who made it through that day are a bit far from the one million mark.

UK poker pro Stephen Chidwick collected 519,000 at the end of the day. Seth Davies put 335,000 worth in chips in his bag. And finally Bren Hanks will enter the official final table with a 213,000 stack.

Each of the six finalists is guaranteed a minimum cash of $66,000, but there should be no doubt that each and every one of them will be eying the first-place prize of $374,000.

Here it is also important to note that the US Poker Open participants have an additional goal besides winning the tournaments on the festival’s schedule. That goal is to become the US Poker Champion and capture the special champion’s trophy. The player who cashes the most from all high roller tournaments to take place within the inaugural edition of the exciting festival will be the one to be crowned champion of all champions. The US Poker Open will be running through February 11.